Council bosses are being given a flea in their ear after getting more than 7,000 noise complaints – but handing out only 36 penalties.

Shocking research reveals that loud and anti-social neighbours are making lives a misery for thousands of Paisley families.

A Freedom of Information request reveals that Renfrewshire Council received a staggering 7,432 complaints over the last five years, equivalent to 1,500 a year or 30 each week.

However, over the same period the authority handed out fewer than 700 warnings, resulting in only 36 Noise Abatement Orders or Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) against people who were making a racket in their neighbourhood.

That is equivalent to only seven punishments a year.

Paisley MSP George Adam said: “I am dismayed to hear these statistics, but unfortunately not surprised. One of the main sources of complaints I receive from constituents relates to noise enforcement issues.

“Far too many hard working men and women across our town are blighted with anti-social neighbours making unacceptable noise day and night. When they report these matters to Renfrewshire Council, very few are ever resolved, which is highlighted by these startling statistics.

“I have seen couples breaking up, families moving and kids having to sleep at grandparents just to get a good night’s sleep when an anti-special neighbour is making noise all night.

“But far too often, no action is taken by the local authority.”

SNP man George is calling on council bosses for more to be done to crackdown on the problem blighting communities.

He added: “The council is spending a lot of money on noise wardens who are there to help in the evening and into the early morning at weekends. However, having less than a one per cent success rate in being able to hand out noise abatement orders is simply not good enough.

“People deserve to be able to sleep at night without constant noise from a nuisance neighbour.

“I believe our local authority needs to take a much firmer line with people, many of them repeat offenders, who continue to have a detrimental impact of our fellow Buddies’ lives.”

The figures reveal that noise complaints are a constant source of friction for householders living in Renfrewshire communities as 1, 632 complaints were fired in during 2010-11, 1,370 in 2011-12, 1,396 in 2012-13, 1,551 in 2013-14 and 1,464 in 2014-15.

Yet council workers only handed out 691 warnings over the same period as the breakdown reveals 194 warnings were handed out in 2010-11, 155 in 2011-12, 144 in 2012-13, 97 in 2013-14 and 101 in 2014-15.

A council spokesman said: “Noise Abatement Orders are covered by Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) – the five years data given therefore refers to the number of FPNs, of which a total of 36 were issued during the period of analysis.”

A breakdown of the data reveals that householders are being driven up the wall by different kinds of noise, with the majority of complaints being termed domestic, which can cover anything from arguments to singing.

But other types of complaint range from children, music, general banging and TV to more alarming incidents such as disturbance and shouting and swearing.

A breakdown of the worst streets in the area reveals that Seedhill Road in Paisley has the most noisy neighbours with 100 complaints from householders fed up with the racket.

Councillor Brian Lawson, member for Paisley East and Ralston who represents Seedhill Road, told how he was amazed at the low number of penalties compared to massive of amount of complaints reported to the local authority.

He said: “This is a remarkably small number of noise abatement orders given the amount of complaints from householders. It is a very high amount, even given that it accounts for more than five years.

“But I am really surprised that only so few have actually been taken via the courts system when look you at the scale of complaints coming from more than 7,400 residents.”

The SNP Group Leader added he was not surprised that Seedhill Road is at the top of the noise complaints’ table in the town.

He said: “Seedhill Road is an area with many three and four storey tenements. People living on top of each other. A mixture of the younger and older generations.

“The area would be highest for noise complaints because of the high population level and we have to remember that many of these flats were built when people didn’t own television sets or modern music centres.

“However, noise is an issue affecting thousands of people and I sympathise with householders having to put up with it.”

Ferguslie attracted more than 50 complaints over anti-social residents closely followed by nearby Ferguslie Walk, which also notched up around 50 complaints over the same period.

Paisley’s High Street is also blighted by the din caused by anti-social neighbours with around 50 complaints from residents over the noise coming through the wall.

However, Renfrewshire Council said in many instances their hands are tied because the incident complained of is no longer ongoing when officers visit the address.

A spokesman said: “The figure of complaints received is purely that, complaints received, and does not reflect whether they were substantiated.

“However, if a nuisance is witnessed we can

issue a warning. Its only where they go on to

breach the permitted levels again that an FPN will be issued.

“The first thing that we advise people to do is to talk to their neighbour, the person or the business causing the noise.

“We recognise this can be difficult and people can be reluctant to get involved in a confrontation. Mediation services are available to help in these circumstances. If there is an ongoing problem we advise people to keep a noise diary and log the date and times when there are problems.

“Community Safety Officers can come out and observe the situation. But we can’t take enforcement action without evidence or without having witnessed the incident so its hard for us to follow up complaints about one off incidents that happened the day or the week before.

“Where a situation is ongoing we have officers who will work with the complainants to collect the evidence required to allow the Council to take enforcement action.

“The Community Safety Officer can issue a warning. Nearly 700 have been given out since 2011. If the noise levels in the warning are breached then a fixed penalty notice can be issued. If problems continue after this, then we may seek a noise abatement order.

“Noise abatement orders are granted by Sheriffs. Before one can be granted we need to collect enough evidence to prove to the Sheriff that the noise is causing a statutory nuisance under the terms of the legislation.

“The Community Safety Service is available up until 10pm Sunday to Thursday and on Fridays and Saturdays up to 3.30am. They can